Barts Best of: restaurants, cafes and fun places in and around Cape Town
Of course, we are not giving away everything here about South Africa Kaapstad ;-) No, then you really should buy the (really) fun e-books we wrote about it: Cool Cape Town City and Cool Cape Town Surroundings. You can shop them here.
Not everything, but definitely a little. Below, of course, is a Barts Best of list of restaurant tips. Because we can. Enjoy! Cape Town: the best restaurants in Cape Town (in our opinion) and the surrounding area.
First things first! Rent a car When around Cape Town. DiscoverCars.com is honest and reliable
Create a long time favorite, and it is certainly not just ours: restaurant Heavenly House is a long-standing yet contemporary institution in the city, a bit like Clarke's, but different. More chic. Hemelhuijs is the place to go for the perfect breakfast and brunch. A lavish dinner with friends (the restaurant is also ideal for large groups) that can last for hours and flows effortlessly into the evening. Or at least the afternoon (note: Hemelhuijs is open until four o'clock). As with all good restaurants, the menu at Hemelhuijs changes regularly. Except for the potato rosti with poached egg and hollandaise sauce: that never leaves the menu, for all the right reasons. You can just stick it on your hip, but it's delicious! The rest of the menu comes from the sea or the land, and so does the menu. The restaurant's theme is botanical: unique flowers, plants, vegetables, and herbs are woven into every dish. Frikadelles in cabbage leaves, for example, to name just one example. The room itself is also a gift. Look up!
Twin sisters Jasse and Jamie opened their quiet, modest, creative and therefore very sympathetic Between UsA simple logo on the beige, unassuming facade, a sense of tranquility inside. Long bar, wooden tables, beige tones. Ah, lovely. Tranquility. At what has secretly become one of the city's hottest new restaurant ventures. The best option is to snag a spot on the patio: from there, you have a beautiful view of Table Mountain, which remains impressive. The restaurant is open every day of the week from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon (after which you can enjoy a delicious dinner). happy hour at SeaBreeze, if you hardly feel like moving a thing for a day, and serves a good breakfast with home-baked whole wheat bread (still warm), a light lunch (flower-strewn salads), and coffee (small works of art in a cup). Top marks for everything, including the staff, although—in all honesty—we are also completely smitten on the ceramic in which and on which the dishes are presented. If we could, just between ourselves, choose where to have lunch today, it would be here. A tiny side note: we left completely satisfied with the experience, but a little less so with our inner self. The portions aren't as generous as you're used to in South Africa, and you could therefore call the place a bit pricey. By South African standards. On the other hand, that was a relief (because when a plate of food is placed in front of us, it has to be finished, and for once, that was easy. Nice).
Planning a self-drive tour of South Africa? Yes, you better do it right! And with From Far Away Travel. One moment you're on safari, face-to-face with a lion, a few days later you're sipping a glass of fine wine in the winelands or overlooking Cape Town from the summit of Table Mountain. And who knows, you might even dare to camp in a game reserve...
Based on their own travel experiences and your wishes, they will be happy to help you put together the ideal route. Contact them And together they'll create your perfect tour through South Africa. For a special treat, combine your trip with eSwatini, Lesotho, Namibia, or Mauritius.
A lot of information at one address… Right! That's good, because that makes 91 Bree Street a very good one stop shop for those who fancy a really full night out. On the ground floor of the building is Chef's Warehouse & Canteen where your chef Liam Tomlin made his fame Tapas for Two Eat (do it!). Right at the top is the showpiece of the place: Room 91, a private event space for the most special parties (sophisticated single or pre-wedding dinner, anyone?). And in between is the latest opening of the three: Merchant Bar & GrillFor drinks, snacks, and a five-course dinner feast showcasing local producers. The bar opens at 4:00 PM and the restaurant at 6:00 PM. All created by Liam Tomlin, the man behind Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo, Beau Constantia, Maison, Thali, and the Red Room.
A special spot in Stellenbosch is half an hour's drive from Cape Town. The Table at De Meye. A restaurant in the middle of nature. Dine outdoors with dishes made from local, seasonal and organic products. The three-course menu The Table at De Meye (to share) therefore also changes every week. We like it, a surprise on your plate. Lunch is from Wednesday to Sunday and dinner is only available on Friday evenings.
Even more fun: you can have a picnic in the De Meye vegetable garden! (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). Nice picnic baskets full of goodies. Think of cheeses, delicious meat, sandwiches, a salad and much more. Together with their own wines from The Meye Vineyards. The Meye Sauvignon Blanc, The Meye Chardonnay, The Meye Chenin Blanc, The Meye Syrah. Nice!
Also in Stellenbosch, Good to Gather. This intimate restaurant is located on the biodynamic Rozendal Farm Jess & Luke, a couple. In the summer, you can sit outside in the beautiful courtyard, nestled under the oak trees. During the colder months (let's be honest: it's never really that cold in South Africa) the tables are set in the Vinegar Tasting Room Covered. This space is heated by a large wood-burning stove – very cozy. The three-course menu in the "farm to table" category changes weekly and, of course, uses only seasonal ingredients sourced locally from small-scale farmers.
Fun fact: Jess & Luke once started (the rightfully immensely popular) Table at the Meye, which they handed over to two new, enthusiastic entrepreneurs who are keeping things moving with gusto. These days, they cook a few days a week at Rozendal Farm in Stellenbosch: you can visit on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. Bookings can be made through their Instagram account. Be quick: Good to Gather is often fully booked weeks, if not months, in advance.
You don't have to delve into Cape Town holidays for very long to discover that a visit to Babylonstoren is a black The oldest farm—it dates back to 1692—in the Cape Town area is of Dutch origin and highly recommended. Just an hour's drive from the city center, you'll arrive at a white farmhouse where everything, every corner, every detail, is beautiful. You can stroll through the gardens, blow your budget on the farm shop (farm produce, of course, but also fantastic hats, soap, tableware, books, towels, and wine, all homemade), sit down for a fantastic lunch at Babel, the resort's award-winning restaurant with primarily vegetarian dishes, or have a drink in the Greenhouse, a beautiful greenhouse with a terrace. Overnight stays are also available and highly recommended. Plus, you can spend half a day in the equally stunning spa. That said: just breakfast followed by a few hours in the spa, and you'll be king (or queen), we promise. Plus: your Instagram feed will thank you; everything at Babylonstoren is equally photogenic.
It has been like this for some time, but since the experience farm When Soetmelksvlei opened at the end of 2024, it got even better. The drive from Babylonstoren to Soetmelksvlei is just under twenty minutes in a safari jeep, and you're almost literally transported back in time. Back in the South African days, at the end of the 19th century, when the world moved much slower and everything was made by hand. You can buy a ticket through the Babylonstoren website: ten people can enter every hour (go early). So beautifully conceived and executed… It's magical!
The Roundhouse Restaurant in the Camps Bay mountains is a Cape Town classic. Unlike Babylonstoren, the place has had quite a few different owners: the roundhouse was once a hotel, a dance hall, and an old man's hunting lodge. Lord and regularly housed a restaurant. Today, the terrace, the greenery surrounding the circular restaurant spanning several levels, is called The Lawns, thanks to the large lawn in front of the house. This idyllic spot is located in Table Mountain Park and dates back to the 18th century, when it served as a guardhouse. It's a perfect vantage point with endless ocean views (hello sunset). We especially enjoy the large terrace (the seats that are the highest, under the oak trees) right outside, which has various elevations and extends into the woods. The place is and remains fantastic: in the summer months (our winter months), it's the picnics and barbecues you'll want to join.
The round building now houses one of Cape Town's best restaurants: Salsify (pronounced Salsifi). Chef Ryan Cole, who runs the place, also opened Cabo Beach Club in the Waterfront (also featured in this book, of course). At Salsify, you can enjoy small meals. fine dining Dishes, and in terms of quality, it might just be the biggest surprise of your holiday. And all that with the mountain view...
Not necessarily in Cape Town, but especially further afield. We always keep coming back to Constantia Glen, in Constantia, of course. And when you book, ask for a spot on the grass at the back of the building. At this secret spot, a short twenty-minute drive from Cape Town's city center, you can relax on the grass and enjoy a cheese platter.
En La Cotte with the view, the pool, the decor – timelessly tasteful –, the location, the breakfast… Everything perfect. By the way, you don't have to stay here to enjoy lunch, dinner and the pleasant atmosphere.
Oh, and Clarke's, another classic in the city center. The café-restaurant is spot on, perfectly laid-back and perfect for a beer and a bite any time of day. The locals, the regulars, sit at the long bar. We sit at one of the low tables in the bright space. Order a toasted sandwich and a cup of soup, and everything is perfect.
Looking for a weekend getaway or the best stops before officially starting your Garden Route trip? Then start your (weekend) trip at Pyjamas & Jam in Strand.on an unassuming industrial estate in Somerset West, next to a scrap metal collection center. But don't be put off, because you are in for a treatOn so many levels. Pajama's and Jam is a concept store as it was once intended. Great food is combined with good coffee, great music, and surprises around every corner. The decor is a carefully curated mishmash, combining old-school South African items with modern materials and contemporary pieces. Don't forget to shop after your meal: the (antique) shop is full of gems.
Okay, Spier Wine Farm (in the Stellenbosch wine region) falls into the category 'everything your heart desires and a whole day of entertainment'. Wine tasting, walking, viewing art, having lunch, going to the bakery, buying souvenirs all in one gift shop, dinner, overnight stay in the hotel etc. etc. The picnic is especially recommended here! Order the Muscle Picnic and you will receive an amazing basket full of goodies Must do.
Create a winery South Africa is known for its wines (yo), but so much is organized around it to give you a great experience in the wine countries, that's for sure. And the view is actually invariably phenomenal. Fun fact: bee Muscle they attach great importance to sustainability. We like it.
De winery Boschendal in Franschhoek has so much to offer! In addition to fantastic wines, you can go to the bakery, have a nice extensive lunch or dinner and you can spend the night there. But you can also rent a mountain bike winery Boschendal is highly recommended. Cycling between the wine countries and then finishing with a... farm style lunch. Awesome winery experience-galore!
Ps: the picnics here are also highly recommended.
Once again, we collect the best tips in the Cape Town (and surroundings) (e)guides. You can shop them here.
